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News highlights May 19 2017

Keep bribery out of the procurement process, PS Korir tells suppliers

Principal Secretary for Health, Mr Julius Korir has advised commodity suppliers and merchants to keep bribery out of the procurement processes, because it undermines economic growth, increases inequality and disenfranchises those who may not have the means.

Mr. Korir told the merchants that they have a right to participate in a fair and transparent procurement process, to demand all the necessary procurement information pertaining to opportunities in the ministry, to challenge decisions that they feel are suspicious, decline or report any demands for bribe as they seek for services.

“Just like the government, I also urge you to put anti-corruption policies in your own business enterprises so that when the generation of leaders take over from you, the culture of accountability would have fully been entrenched in your businesses,’’ said Mr. Korir in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Ibrahim Abdi, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health during the First Suppliers’ Sensitization Forum on Thursday.

The forum is one of the many that the ministry intends to hold to encourage expeditious provision of goods and services to improve service delivery to Kenyans.

The PS revealed that the Ministry of Health has allocated sh532 million in the current financial year to firms owned by women, youths and Persons Living with Disability (PLWD) as part of the 30 per cent affirmative active requirement.

He encouraged the suppliers to actively participate in invitations to tender, arguing that the Ministry is obliged by law to allocate 30 per cent of procurements to the youth, women and PLWDs.

NASA is not fit to lead Kenya, says Governor Tunai

Narok Governor Samuel Tunai has claimed that the National Super Alliance (NASA) is not fit to lead the country.

Tunai has lashed out at the National Super Alliance for what he described as endless fights and bickering against the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC).

Tunai described NASA as an outfit devoid of agenda and principles, saying their only job has been fighting the electoral body.

“They fought the former IEBC boss Isaack Hassan leading to their exit, and they are still fighting the now Wafula Chebukati – led team, whose existence was negotiated between both sides of the political divide,” he said.

Tunai’s declaration comes just days after the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) in partnership with other civil rights group moved to the Supreme Court to challenge leaders who are alleged to be lacking in integrity. Ironically, Governor Tunai was named among a list of leaders, both incumbents and aspirants for the seat of senate, governors and even members of parliament who risk being locked out from participating in the August 8th polls should the courts decisively pronounce itself on the matter.

“The Commission is concerned that some of the candidates who have been certified to vie for various positions following the primaries cannot pass the ethical leadership test in line with Chapter 6 of the COK, 2010,” KNCHR Chairperson Ms Kagwiria Mbogori said on Monday.

Ms Mbogori who was speaking during a report launch dubbed ‘The Fallacious Vote: A Human Rights Account of the 2017 Political Party Primaries’ said political parties have failed to enforce the Chapter 6 of the constitution on leadership and integrity.

And as such the political outfits have gone ahead and nominated candidates with questionable integrity issues to vie for various elective seats against the dictates of the constitution.

Tunai has since dared the NASA outfit to make good on their threat to boycott the August Elections, saying the Jubilee party will otherwise claim the State House seat come August 8.

He was speaking during a rite of passage ceremony for 19 former street boys and girls in Narok Town yesterday.

Raila cracks whip on ODM primary losers

National Super Alliance (NASA) Presidential flagbearer and ODM Party leader, Raila Odinga has urged the losers of the ODM party Nairobi County nominations to support the winners as it is crucial for the party to remain intact so as to deliver a majority of elective seats in the Senate, National and County Assemblies.

Raila today met winners and losers at Charter Hall Nairobi in a bid to integrate a strong harmonious team ahead of the August election.

There has been division among aspirants who participated in the party primaries with the disgruntled threatening not to support the ODM nominees in the August 8th election. The party is being accused of holding a shambolic exercise and propagating irregular issuance of certificates of nominations.

“Division among aspirants will lead to the party’s loss of key seats in Nairobi County and its effects could trickle down to the Gubernatorial race, let us come together as one family and support our candidates so as to deliver a win for Governor Kidero, retain all the ODM parliamentary and County assembly seats and clinch the ones we do not have now,” said Nairobi ODM chairman and Makadara MP aspirant George Aladwa.

He noted that not everyone would be content with the results from the nomination exercise but if all aspirants worked together, the party would deliver majority wins thus boosting the reign of Raila Odinga as President of Kenya. Mr Odinga said it was not the Election’s boards fault for massive irregularities in the primaries as most of the confusion was caused by supporters of aspirants and the aspirants who got involved in unorthodox ways of trying to influence the outcome of the poll.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero took the opportunity to ask all the aspirants to join in the campaign for his second term bid. He said that he is ready to work with all the Nairobi leaders as each and every one of them commanded a unique following.

Even though most of the aspirants who spoke at the meeting expressed displeasure with the party, the ODM party leadership assured them that there were various other opportunities and capacities they could serve in and it was not a must that they serve their people as MPs, senators, or MCAs.

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